Heretofore, dental sink stations that have been utilized in disposal of fluid during a dental procedure have posed several problems for the dental practitioner. Among these problems are the alterations which must be made to the structure within which the sink is used. Another problem is the untimeliness involved in disposing of the fluid where a standard in-office reservoir is used.
Many dental sink stations utilize a fluid reservoir or variant thereof wherein the extracted fluid is collected during operation, thereby undermining optimal sanitary conditions. Such a fluid reservoir must periodically be emptied and, as a result, the system must be shut down at that time. Such a system can present a significant problem when the reservoir must be emptied while the dentist is performing a dental procedure on a patient. Other sink stations incorporate traditional gravity drains capable of disposing of the contents therein. However, such systems most often require a floor drain in close proximity which can be impractical or impossible to provide. Further, these systems do not allow collection of solid sediment for disposal as solid waste or convenient recovery of useful objects that may be inadvertently dropped down the drain.
Additionally, installation or removal of the aforementioned sink stations requires considerable plumbing and property improvements to access the required water and electricity. Such installations are typically fixed to a floor or wall and do not lend themselves to portability of the sink station that would allow accommodation of handicapped patients and better ergonomic efficiency during dental procedures. In such a case, the considerable inconvenience and expense incurred by the dental professional are obvious.
What is needed in the art is an improved dental sink station that accumulates fluid and sediments and then pumps the fluid out to an overhead plumbing system at such time as the quantity of waste demands. The station should also access any necessary water, electricity, and waste removal from overhead cables thereby permitting expeditious and convenient installation while minimizing or eliminating the need for altering the structure within which the receptacle is used. In addition, the station should be such that it can be easily moved thereby allowing accommodation of handicapped patients and better ergonomic efficiency during dental procedures.
The present invention accomplishes these objectives by providing a sink station system that accumulates and holds fluids and solid sediments. The sink station system incorporates a drain pipe serving to draw fluid out of a dental sink. The fluid flows down the drain pipe and into a fluid trap. As the sink is used, fluid accumulates in the fluid trap. As fluid accumulates in the trap beyond a predetermined level, the fluid rises upward through a water level pipe into a water level chamber wherein a float sensor is disposed. As the water rises to a predetermined level within the water level chamber, the float sensor is activated. Upon activation of the float sensor, a discharge pump is activated and accumulated fluid is pumped out of the system through a discharge pipe. The water level chamber and drain pipe fluidly communicate by means of an air vent that allows air accumulating above the fluid rising in the water level chamber out of the system to atmosphere through the drain pipe and sink, thereby preventing drain back-up through the sink. Water is prevented from entering the air vent by a deflector located at the junction of the drain pipe and sink.
Listed below are samples of patents based in part on dental sink devices. These patents are merely representative of the art and do not suggest the teachings of the present invention:
U.S. Pat. No. 3,404,458 (1968) to Weiss et al. discloses a portable dental unit requiring no external connections.
U.S. Pat. No. 3,553,840 (1971) to Bordelon discloses a mobile quick set-up orthodontic unit not requiring any external plumbing connections.
U.S. Pat. No. 3,636,633 (1972) to Fuller et al. discloses a dental console having a cabinet with a plurality of dental instruments mounted in the cabinet.
U.S. Pat. No. 3,691,634 (1972) to Buchtel et al. discloses a dental unit which may be located adjacent a dental chair, including a compact, floor mounted cabinet with a dental tray assembly pivotally mounted thereon by a conventional adjustable tray arm.
U.S. Pat. No. 3,842,448 (1974) to Kahn et al. discloses an apparatus for recycling a fluid for use in flushing a dental cuspidor.
U.S. Pat. No. 4,344,756 (1982) to Folkenroth et al. discloses a water recycling unit and system for dental operatories.